Islamabad: President of All Pakistan Anjuman-e-Tajiran Kashif Chaudhry has demanded immediate action against the land mafia allegedly involved in the illegal occupation of the Nishat Cinema property in Rawalpindi. He called for the enforcement of the court’s stay order by sealing the disputed property until a final decision is made, and urged a forensic audit of the alleged fake documents, along with strict legal action against the officials involved.
Kashif Chaudhry made these remarks while addressing a joint press conference alongside the property owners — Barrister Luqman Bajauri, Haji Dilawar Khan, Bilal Sadiq, Mohsin Sadiq, and Amina Bano Advocate (Supreme Court) — as well as traders from Rawalpindi belonging to Bajaur.
During the briefing, Barrister Luqman Bajauri alleged that the Nishat Cinema property, located in the heart of Raja Bazaar, has been under the illegal occupation of a land mafia for the past two years. He claimed that the group, led by notorious land grabber Malik Arif, has repeatedly violated court orders and carried out acts of vandalism under the supervision of the Commissioner Rawalpindi, constituting contempt of court.
Bajauri alleged that Commissioner Rawalpindi Aamir Khattak is openly supporting Malik Arif, whom he described as “a habitual land grabber with a long criminal history.” He said 25 FIRs have been registered against Arif, and a 2018 inquiry ordered by the then RPO Rawalpindi declared him a fraudster. Despite his conviction and imprisonment by NAB Peshawar for corruption and illegal land grabbing, Bajauri said the Commissioner continues to back him, allowing him to operate freely in the city.
He added that Malik Arif’s Power of Attorney (PDT), issued by the PTD two years ago, was declared fake and cancelled up to the Supreme Court level, yet the Commissioner unlawfully endorsed it as genuine while rejecting the property owners’ legitimate and verified documents. “The Commissioner helped Malik Arif register a fake residential deed on two kanals of vacant land, even though Nishat Cinema is a commercial property spread over three kanals and seven marlas,” he added.
Bajauri further stated that Malik Arif created a fake society under the name Police Shuhada Foundation, which was later found to involve massive financial irregularities. The RDA Rawalpindi registered an FIR (No. 437/23, Police Station Chontra, Rawalpindi District) against him in December 2023. He also alleged that on December 20, 2024, during an attempt to seize the cinema property, Malik Arif and his associates opened fire on Liaquat Road, injuring ten people and killing one. “Instead of arresting the culprits, the police detained our partners and filed a false FIR,” he claimed.
The Nishat Cinema owners said that the situation has created a sense of fear and insecurity among the business community, as such incidents of land grabbing and daylight firing have become increasingly frequent in Rawalpindi.
They demanded immediate intervention by the Federal Government, Judiciary, and NAB, urging the formation of a judicial inquiry to investigate the matter thoroughly. “Those involved — whether government officials or private actors — must be held accountable before the law,” they concluded.
